1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector comprising of a pair of connector housings to be coupled by insertion, and more particularly to a pinch preventive connector to prevent electric terminals contained in one of the connector housings from damage by improper engagement or from pinching when inserting one connector housing into another.
2. Description of the Related Art
When engaging a male connector housing with a female connector housing, if the male connector housing "b" is engaged with the female connector housing "a" by insertion as being inclined, as shown in FIG. 4, an end of the male connector housing "b" hits against a male electric terminal "c" which is contained in the female connector housing "a" for causing pinching, resulting in a damage of the male electric terminal "c" by pressure.
There has been proposed a connector, which is disclosed in a preliminary publication of Utility Model Application No. 141579/88, wherein a male connector housing "P" is provided with a pinch preventive projection or stopper "d" at the outer surface "b" of the main male connector housing. In accordance with this configuration, the main male connector housing "P" is prevented from excessive entering into the female connector housing "a" by the abutment of pinch stopper "d" against an open end "e" of the female housing "a" even if the main male housing "P" is inserted into the female housing "a" as being inclined, as shown in FIG. 5, and thereby eliminating the hitting of the main male housing "P" against the male electric terminal "c" within the female housing "a" for preventing the pinching from being caused.
Further, a connector housing Q has been proposed, wherein the pinching has also been prevented from causing through the elimination of an excessive insertion of a male connector housing "b" into a main female housing "a'" with use of a pinch preventive projection "f", as shown in FIG. 6.
The above-described male connector housing "P", however, has a problem such that it has failed sometimes to prevent pinching from causing due to a fact that the pinch preventive projection or stopper "d" is not always formed into a proper shape since a shape of the pinch protective projection or stopper "d" is restricted by a shape of engaging portion of the counter-housing.
In addition, the connector housing "Q" of the latter case requires a space for the pinch protective projection "f" to be provided at the interior of the main female housing "a'", this results in an enlargement of the connector housing. If it is impossible to enlarge the connector housing in view of relative configuration of parts in use, the pinch preventive projection "f" cannot be provided. Therefore, this kind of connector housing "Q" has also had a problem such that it is inappropriate as a countermeasure against pinching.